I don't watch enough games outside the B1G to comment on those non-B1G players, and I'm completely ok with Manti, Bullough (I know), and Mauti on here, but I feel our boy JR has had as much of an impact at LB as anyone in the B1G this year.

I think Teo wins it...and in regard to Ryan, I don't believe he has played at a truly high level for every game this year...The last 3-4 games, he has been dominant, but not sure if he stood out like he does now for the first 3 games of the season.

Jonathan Brown over Jake Ryan? Jake has more tackles on a better defense. He has more sacks than Brown. Plus, I'd say he has a much bigger impact. I'm not really sure I see the point in Jonathan over Jake. Anyone want to help me figure that one out?

Sure. Illinois is 2-5, all losses were total blowouts, allowing scores of 31, 35, 45, 45, and 52(to a WAC school) He stands out on the worst defense in the B1G, yet has less production than any of our starting linebackers who share the load on one of the best, if not the best defense in the B1G. Plus our defenses just went head to head, and we demolished them 45-0. Makes total sense.

Demens was on the watch list a year earlier. Chris Galippo at USC was on the 2011 preseason Watch List going into his senior season and was benched in favor of true freshman Lamar Dawson halfway through the year.

I dont think the question is whether Ryan is the best LB, but whether he deserves to be in the conversation (or, more specifically, on this list). He's arguably better than at least 2-3 names listed, maybe more. Maybe not as solid or accomplished as Teo or Mosley or Jarvis Jones, but still in the conversation, imo.

He didn't really have a national rep before the season started and these three latest games in which he has been a beast haven't exactly been national attention getters. Next year's his year if he keeps it up, but for now it's hard to see the insult here.

First point is right, but most of the guys on that list haven't played in any games with national attention. A couple haven't even been a beast in one game. They're just looking at the guys they had marked in the pre-season, which is lazy but expected.

I don't care about awards I care about production and that man is balling. The defense consists of 10 guys executing and 1 guy making plays. For a team with only 1 playmaker to be doing as well as they are as a unit says a lot about the coaches and a lot about said playmaker.

I totally agree. I was just thinking of it as a goad to JR, to keep the fire lit and make sure he doesn't start reading his local press clippings. I'm sure Hoke won't do it anyhow; he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who'd play games like that.

I don't get it. Jake Ryan could be the best linebacker in the B1G this year, but they nominate 4 others and exclude him. Michael Mauti, Kevin Minter, CJ Moseley, and Manti Te'o are having better years than Jake Ryan, granted, but 6 of the other guys are a legit downgrade over him. Jonathan Brown is basically getting nominated for last years performance, because this year he's fallen way off. Penn State gets 2 guys on the list? Even Max Bullough is a slight downgrade over Ryan this year. Dion Jordan would be the 3rd or 4th best linebacker on our defense right now, and Jarvis Jones is more of a Defensive End, and has only played in 5 games.

Unfortunately, like preseason rankings, these awards pay more attention to the preseason hype of a player rather than performance, at least until you get to the finalists. Ryan assuredly deserves to be on this list. Next year he will have a legit shot to win if he keeps playing at the level he has the last several games.

I'm fine with everyone on the list from the B1G except Brown at Illinois - must be preseason hype sticking around. Te'o has been great, as has Bullough. I haven't seen enough of the other conferences to have an educated opinion on them except to say that nobody from the Big 12 should be mentioned as a "best" defender in any context until they stop giving up 50 points to each other.

Just real quick, has anyone here watched Beauharnais play? Probably not. I promise you that he belongs on this list. The crazy thing is that teammate Khaseem Greene got left off. Reigning Big East Player of the Year, having an even better year. Makes me wonder what the criteria is on this list, and what they're actually watching. Greene would no doubt be a finalist based on his play. And argue all you want about it, but take the time to watch him and Rutgers D before you do.

For what its worth, yeah Jake Ryan got screwed. These lists are BS, kind of a microcosm of the Top 25 polls. Wait til the games have been played out. Ryan has his best football ahead of him. Te'o wins no matter what, and I really think that if ND continues this trend, he should be in New York in December for the Heisman. Been a real pleasure to watch if you're a fan of the game.